Natsu, Owaranai De
by Kuroix
Summary: The two were strolling on the shore with their fingers intertwined. They could feel the wet sand between their toes as pressed footsprints on the beach, leaving marks. But, when Maki turned, the marks remained no more, having to be washed away by the waves. She didn't pay much attention at that time though. All what mattered was the person next to her..
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

All Maki could hear was the screeching of cicadas as she touched a high heel onto the boardwalk. With the slight summer breeze ruffling through her cherry red hair, she frowned when she felt the hot summer rays pushing in on her.

The air smelled salty and humid in this beachfront town, although sweltering. Her heels clicked on the wooden boardwalk as she turned to lock her car, a new Toyota as pure as lapis lazuli. She'd arrived at this town after driving for three hours from Tokyo, and the ride was nevertheless to say, pure torture. All the traffic, expressways and constant concentration of having to keep a sharp eye on the roads were tiring. Maki began to regret coming while she leaned her arms on the car sterling an hour ago, exhausted and sore, but there was no point in turning back then.

But for a beachfront town, it looked more deserted and quiet than she had anticipated. From the tall coconut trees, sandy dunes and vibrant beach grass came out no sound, no movements of branches or bubbling seagulls flying overhead. All that could be heard was the deafening noises of summer cicadas calling out to the brilliant amber sun.

Shrugging, Maki adjusted the pair of sunglasses she'd tipped on her nose, going to open the back trunk. She grabbed a red duffel bag, strapped it over her shoulder before pulling a black suitcase out. The smaller bag mostly contained her clothes, laptop and a few necessities. The suitcase instead was stuffed with some garments she'd decided to bring in the last minute, but half of it was books. Maki figured it wouldn't hurt to read through the summer.

So, what if she was spending the whole summer in a beachfront town with her two close friends, Rin and Hanayo? It was not like there'd be much to do here, other than visiting the beach or hanging out with them. Maki liked the beach but would prefer to gaze at it from afar, and now, it'd be a good idea to stay away from those two as much as possible. Although she was not the type to be jealous of all couples in general, seeing her friends flirt together in the broad daylight, even when they are not an official couple _yet_ , did not struck well with her.

Now, as she walked along the sidewalk, dragging her suitcase with the duffel bag in one hand, desperate to get away from this suffocating heat, Maki still wondered why she had ever agreed to come here in the first place. There was only heat that rained down while she walked down the stairs, suitcase gripped in hands. Sounds of crashing waves echoed into her ears as a swath of shimmering deep blue came discernible to her.

She expected that some other campers would be close by the beach, which was just separated through some beach grass and sand dunes, but there was no a single soul present. They were probably sleeping off the heat in a tent or some other shaded place. Maki snorted to herself, jiggling her keys together as she quickened her pace across the grass; apparently she was the only human dumb enough to be out in this extreme heat-wave.

It had only been a few minutes, twenty minutes at most, and yet she was already starting to sweat. The news reporter claimed that this year's summer was going to be a hot one, but she never expected it to fall on this much of the scale.

When she first spotted another walkway, Maki realized she'd walked into a busy district, compared to the dead silent back at a few blocks ago. Following the ocean and various neighborhood sounds, she eventually saw rows of shops lining up the narrow boardwalk. By now beads of sweat were coursing down her face. _I need to take a break before going to find Hanayo and Rin._ Maki shifted her suitcase to the other hand after finding out her right palm was sodden with sweat.

About halfway down the walkway, the outdoor restaurants which she could have considered in resting at were bustling with visitors inside out. Maki frowned, with her eyebrows knitting together, at the sight. She didn't like places with too many people around. A smoothie place, pizzeria and boutique were out of the question as well. Wasn't there any decent café for her to rest at? Maki then gave a start, sliding to the side as a crowd of giggling teenager girls strolled past her along the narrow boardwalk.

Heat pushed in on her again, and for the first time Maki felt as claustrophobic as a cat in a box. It was also suffocating, not to mention with the distracting noises of kids yelling, radios blazing, bustling shops and drinking adults howling in laughter. She could feel all the blood pouring into her face due to unbearable frustration, making it redder as it had been while a vein throbbed on somewhere of her forehead.

Then, as Maki turned to walk away from all the hustle-bustle around, she instinctively gazed straight towards the boardwalk's end, where a lone polished wooden building stood.

* * *

There was the crystalline tingling of a wind bell fluttering through the air as Maki pushed the entrance open.

Slowly, she stepped inside, pulling her suitcase along. This tiny café was huddled despondent at the far end of bustling shops, but personally, just by seeing the outlay of the café and the way it was decorated, Maki concluded she could sit for hours here, days even, and simply be content reading her books.

The place was small, only big enough to hold seven to eight tables that were scattered inside, but it gave off an atmosphere of soothing and warm. Slow jazz music with a hint of mellow harmony was all that penetrated through the silence within the room. The place also smelled strongly of roasted coffee beans and faint sweetness.

Maki took a curious step forwards, her high heels clicking on the mahogany floorboard. She arched a confused eyebrow when she saw that the front counter remained empty. Was the shop closed for today? It couldn't possibly be. Glancing around, Maki noticed the ceiling fans were on and the counter was opened, but there was just not a single staff available. The frown sunk into her face deeply.

Everything stilled while she stood in the middle of all, perplexed. Clearly this shop wasn't in running service right now; she'd no choice but to leave. Maki sighed at the thought, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. What a waste of time and energy.

"…Geez…Those two brats should have informed me earlier if they wanted to order…"

Halting on her tracks abruptly, Maki's ears perked up at the sudden source of voice. There was a soft click; someone closing door shut, as steady footsteps thudded outside. The person was still mumbling; obviously not noticing Maki's presence in the shop, and as they continued, she eventually confirmed it was a girl's voice.

"I closed the shop entirely in preparing for tonight's food too, the pay better be good…Huh?"

If the red-haired college student didn't cringe in hearing the unexpected voice earlier, then she now did. Maki could feel her whole body going rigid, and she realized she'd been an idiot to think she was the only person here.

With slightly reddened cheeks, by the dumbness she was currently feeling across her face, Maki slowly turned to face the bar. Instead of the empty counter top she saw before, a dark-haired female now elbowed against it. Narrowly squinted scarlet eyes mingled with a tint of mischievousness and confusion stared at her, sending Maki the slight urge to squirm, as if she was a small child caught for wrongdoing. But even so, she still held back the whim, stubbornly looking straight back and locking eyes.

Tilting her head to a side, it was the young female who'd broken the staring game first, asking, "Who are you?" although she sounded less than polite for customer satisfaction.

Even though Maki wasn't a frequent visitor of such establishments, she'd never heard a staff greeting any customer like that. With the girl's silk black hair tied up in childish twin tails, smooth baby face and skin as porcelain pale as a vampire's, her own voice sounded more deep and subdued than Maki expected, despite her own endearing features. Either way, whether it was the girl's tune of voice or appearance, it didn't change the fact that she was a customer here.

"Is that how you greet your customer?" Maki replied, with slightly narrowed eyes as she tugged one hand at her duffel bag.

Maybe she'd have just gone to the pizzeria and take a seat around the corners. As noisy as the bustling restaurant could get, it was better than having to deal with staffs who question a customer's identity. But when Maki was planning to turn around and leave, the girl at the counter spoke up again.

"Hey, you are not from here, aren't you?"

Maki frowned, glancing towards her baggage. Wasn't it obvious? No one living here would carry their belongings and walk all around the place, especially when it was right in the middle of summer. Nevertheless, she still answered. "I'm not, actually."

"Oh?" The girl looked mildly interested; propping her right cheek with a hand, strands of glossy raven hair fell onto her shoulders as she continued to lean on the mahogany counter top. "Here for summer vacation, I guess? You drove here or something?"

"Yes." Leaving this café seemed to be more difficult than coming in. The girl was already striking up a conversation with her. Maki racked her mind for a reasonable excuse to leave. "…Well, I will have to be going, since your shop clearly isn't in business right now."

"Nah, it's alright." The girl at the counter said, once again stopping Maki in her tracks. "I've something to tell you first, though."

When confused lilac eyes glanced at her, she lifted a thumb, gesturing towards the back nonchalantly. Maki followed and saw a wall of illuminated glasses, all filled to the brim with big jars of roasted coffee beans, wineglasses and cups. She then lowered her gaze to the back counter; another row of glasses and two coffee-making machines were glinting faintly under the dim lights.

"How about you have a drink before going back to that outside heat first? Isn't that why you came in here for?"

"But I thought your shop isn't in business-"

"Don't worry 'bout it." She gave a dismissive wave, "I can manage. Besides, having someone coming right in and go out of my café with those bags would only start rumors." Pinkish lips curled into a small, sly smile as penetrating crimson eyes gazed straight through Maki. "For letting my customers go empty-handed, and a good-looking one, that is."

The girl at the counter then winked, and reluctantly Maki felt her heartbeat doubling as the same paralyzing dumbness spread through her cheeks. She took a moment to regain herself, forcing down the embarrassing blush and coughing.

"…Well, I do some minutes to spare." Maki decided after taking a brief glance at her wristwatch. It had been almost an hour since she first arrived here, but there was still some time before Rin would come guide her to the house she would be staying at.

"Pick a drink then!" The girl at the counter chirped, her tune now sounding more light-hearted and cheerful. Twin tails bounced around cutely as she jumped up from her elbowing position. "What'll you have?"

Maki stared, a bit surprised at how quickly the girl changed from her previous personality. One minute she was acting like a sly flatterer, and now she'd turned into a happy, upbeat character? Pursing her lips, Maki's thoughts then faded as she got temporarily distracted with a type of coffee blend present on the menu.

"A cup of mocha," She thought for a moment, before adding, "But not too sweet, please."

The girl paused, her babyish face showing slight surprise, but it'd soon faded as fast as it appeared. "Sure thing!" She grabbed a white glass from under the counter, settling it behind a steel behemoth of a machine. Sliding it along periodically, the machine let out a burst of steam. As the cup continued to fill itself, the girl hummed, her body rocking to the tune, while she pulled levers blocked from Maki's view.

In all the time she had been preparing her drink, Maki found herself a seat on the counter nearby. Having nothing to do after she placed duffel bag under the stool, she soon found her gaze unconsciously fixed on the girl.

There was no break in the work flow between steps, her moves efficient and smooth. It was nothing like how she would see the other coffee shop staffs do it. Their movements were more…monotonous and fixed.

Lilac eyes continued to stare at the petite-framed girl in front of her as she worked. Quietly, Maki gazed her body outline with half-lidded eyes before dropping down to the waist. Never once in her lifetime did she ever laid eyes on someone so little and slim, apart from babies or young children. Maki leaned over the counter, staring off absentmindedly. Everything about her was just small and weak; it was as if the girl was a fragile egg that needed to be handled with the utmost care.

A glass of frothing light brown liquid was then suddenly set on the counter, topped with a plump dollop of white cream in a little finishing flourish.

"Enjoy!" she said, still wearing the wide grin on her face.

"…Ah." Maki blinked, flushing into a tomato red as she realized what she'd been doing a few moments ago. What has gotten into her, checking out a girl, who was possibly someone younger than herself? Mortified, Maki owed her head so the girl couldn't see her face, nodding slowly in thanks as she took the glass into her hands.

Now the shop was silent, except for Maki's own rapidly increasing heartbeat which echoed in her ears. Dumbness still burned across her cheeks while she quickly brought the liquid to her lips, hoping it would distract her.

The drink was definitely bitter, but not nearly as she expected. In fact, the bitterness that now spread through her tongue, sliding down through her throat and flowing into her stomach had sent a warm fuzzy sensation throughout her body. However, there was also a hint of accurately balanced sweetness present within. The cream remained mellifluous and sweet, but it was no normal cream you could buy at convenience stores. It lacked the icky sensation.

Just when Maki placed the glass down on the counter, a small blue plate appeared before her, along with a small silvered fork.

She looked up to see the girl's grinning face again, puzzled. "…I didn't order this."

"It's just a sample test." The girl replied, wiping her small hands on her panda-patterned apron. Her crimson eyes then widened, as she realized something else. "Oh, and it's free of charge. So don't worry!" breaking into another wide grin at the end.

"I see." Maki nodded, hooking the plate with her fingers and pulling it forwards.

On the blue plate, was a slice of white cake glazed with honey, its bottom half cut off. On closer inspection, she could see nuts jutting out from the cake. Raspberries, half-cut strawberries, chocolate syrup and a cinnamon stick were topped on its outer surface to make the slice more appealing.

Overall, this slice of cake could be categorized as high-classed. Maki had tasted desserts like this at the social parties she and her parents were invited to, but this was her first time seeing one being served at a normal coffee shop. Much less in a beachfront town located out of nowhere.

"Go on, taste it!" The girl urged impatiently. Anticipation was apparent on her pale porcelain face, a small blush adorning her cheeks. It must be from the heat when she made her the drink; Maki concluded and used the fork to cut a piece of the cake off.

Warm chocolate together with dense cheese flooded her senses. She could also taste slight alcohol in it. Brandy? Maki licked the corner of her lips, finding the cake more than satisfactory, and cut another small piece into her mouth.

"Well?"

Maki quickly set the fork down, her stubbornly prideful trait once again striking. "I-It's not bad-"

"Not bad…?" The girl cut in puzzlingly. With a hand tipped under her chin, she whispered the same words over and over again to herself while frowning. "That's strange; I thought this was really good." She continued to mumble on.

…Her shallow comment was bothering her much more than Maki expected. "…It's…" She tried to take the words back, but felt the voice draining itself weak when ruby red eyes flicked to her. The black-haired girl was looking at her with an adequate amount of solemnity enough to make Maki squirm.

"It's? ..."

She paused, trying to find a suitable word for filling the unfinished void. But soon gave up afterwards. "Y-You get what I mean!" Maki exclaimed in the same flustered tune she'd always end up using. With a fast flip of her hair, she grabbed her mocha from the counter and gulped it down.

Which it turned out, was a big mistake. She had completely forgotten that the mocha was still scorching hot. In mere seconds, Maki almost slammed the glass down as she scalded the back of her throat and tongue from swallowing the mocha too quickly.

Coughing and covering her mouth with one hand, there were slight tears brimming around the corners of Maki's eyes as she continued to cough at the painful blistering sensation.

"Pft…"

The girl's soft chuckles echoed in the shop. She pressed her arms against her chest in order to suppress her giggles, but only ended up bursting into loud laughter. Lifting her head upon the commotion, Maki tore away her hand and glared at the laughing staff.

Her laughs were contagious, but it sounded more like an evil cackle than an expression of amusement. At least, it _was_ to the disgruntled red-haired student.

"W-Will you stop laughing?" Maki actually meant to sound harsher, but what came out of her still hurting throat was a croaked voice raw with pain. The other girl apparently found something amusing about this, and only laughed louder to the point of throwing her head back while she hugged her stomach. Maki glared harder.

Unfortunately, her famous glares didn't seem to have the same effects to the girl as it worked with her friends. Gradually, the laughter died down into sheer silence, except for the occasional panting of the girl trying to catch her breath.

"Haah…No, seriously, you crack me up!" The shop staff looked at her customer when she was saying this, and when their gazes met, the sight of Maki glaring at her with unshed tears brimming around her eyes only made her smirk. "Wait here." She told her before walking into the back door.

When the black-haired girl returned, her upbeat and cheerful personality was restored like before Maki scalded herself. Although there was still the smirk wearing on her lips while she placed a glass of water in front of her.

"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore, ne?" She complied, smiling sweetly at her customer. "Anyway, I'm going back to work. Enjoy, and make sure to not scald yourself anymore." A soft snicker.

Maki only rolled her eyes in irritated reply. With an indignant huff, she ignored the other girl's amused cry of "What a scary person~" and reached for the glass. Her fingers closed around the glass, finding it surprisingly chilling. She scoffed at this. At least the girl was considerate enough to make it cold. Ice cubes inside then clinked, making a crisp and crystalline sound as Maki slipped on the water.

Meanwhile, the staff was busy walking between counter and kitchen. Each time she walked out of the back door, she would be carrying a plate filled with miniature cakes. By the fourth round, she had attracted Maki's full attention by the multitude of cakes that sat on the front counter, with an array of baked goods arranged in wicker baskets freshly brought in.

One after one, Maki watched as those small glove-adorned hands pack the mini cakes into one simple white box. Maximum four cakes in a box and were placed neatly so that they won't collide each other.

It was the final packing job that required focus. All that could be heard was the occasional rustle of her hands brushing against cardboard boxes as she worked quietly. For a moment, everything was quiet, peaceful. The cheeky grin on the girl's face had disappeared and was now replaced by a solemn thin line while she continued to pack, a few bead of sweats rolling down her forehead at the intense focus.

Maki sipped on her mocha in silence after finishing the cake. She was about to put her mug down when a series of knocking resounded throughout the shop. Blinking, the red-haired student turned puzzled eyes towards the entrance and wondered who it could be.

"Sorry, but could you get that for me?" The girl at the counter finally spoke, although her gaze was still fixated on the cakes in front of her. With skillful hands, she sealed the box she had done packing and reached another one.

"M-Me?" Maki stuttered, not expecting to be addressed so suddenly. A curt nod was what she received as the girl continued working, her crimson eyes still focused intensely on the boxes in front of her. Talk about being a customer. Maki grumbled softly under her breath; she was starting to feel comfortable here too. With a soft huff, she pushed herself up from the stool and slowly walked to the door.

Another string of loud, impatient knocking came into the shop.

A vein visibly twitched on Maki's forehead. Reluctantly she increased her pace and reached for the doorknob in annoyance - just as the white-framed door flung open, instantly catching her off guard. Maki's eyes widened as she quickly jumped back; the door was just a few inches from slamming into her face.

"Nico-chaaan, I'm here nya!"

 _Rin._ Maki thought reflexively. A visible vein emerged from her forehead. Quietly, Maki took in a deep breath of air to calm her nerves and stepped back.

"Nico-chan! Are you - " Although she could not see, Maki still managed to imagine the pure look of shock and disbelief on Rin's face when she saw her at the door. "M-Maki-chan!? You are here already – ow ow ow!"

"Hello, Rin."

Maki's eyes had long already snapped open, the friendly expression on her face vanishing without a trance. A dark look spread across her smiling features as she continued to pull on her friend's cheeks, asking, "I understand the concept of your boundless energy, but could you not open the door so suddenly? You just _almost_ slammed the door in my face, you know."

Rin could only answer her cold, reposeful greeting with a soft yelp of acknowledgement. She knew she would have to say something, or anything in response, but with the way her face was being pitched and pulled by slender fingers it was hard to do so. Incoherent, slurred words simply came out unintelligible from her mouth as she struggled to explain herself.

Squinting her eyes pensively, Maki stared at her friend's agonized face for a few more seconds before quickly losing interest. Slowly, she detached her fingers from Rin's cheeks, now slightly reddened by the amount of vigor she'd poured into it.

"That hurt…You don't have to be so mean, Maki-chan!" There was a slight whimper in Rin's voice as she rubbed her cheeks.

Maki did not give any response, only letting out a slight 'hmph' as she flipped her cherry red hair over shoulder. In the meanwhile, she glanced at Rin, who still stood rooted by the door, rubbing her cheeks. She was in her usual attire; a yellow hoodie and knee-length khaki pants, with boyish orange hair pulled back into a ridiculously short ponytail. Maki always thought Rin's style as a hipster and she'd to admit, it looked quite good on her.

Maki was about to speak again when she felt a heavy presence behind her.

"Oi." Maki almost jumped at the dangerously low voice.

Rin, who finished rubbing her red cheeks, immediately brightened at the sight of the girl behind her redheaded friend. "Nico-chan! Are you done with those cakes - "

It happened in the blink of an eye. Three cherry-patterned boxes were shoved into Rin's arms and before the orange-haired girl could even react, she was already pushed outside with the door slamming shut loudly behind her.

"…nya?"

Meanwhile, inside the shop, the other girl was dumbfounded at the sudden twist of events. The whole progress itself had happened so quickly that even Maki's usually sharp mind couldn't fully apprehend what was going on. She remained speechless until the so-called Nico girl turned to look at her from the door.

"You are friends with that Rin girl, right?" A dark look spread across the staff's face as she pointed towards the door behind her. "Sorry, but could you get out too?"

"…Eh?"

* * *

 _To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

A stack of reference books titled dangerously on the cluttered desk in the room she was opted to stay for three weeks. Maki eyed them wearily before shuffling them around; it had been a long day and she really didn't want to work on her summer report so soon. There was still time, and just the thought of looking at those tiny front made her eyes hurt.

Maki rubbed at them for a good measure before pulling a stack of papers toward her. Maybe she should just finish her economics report tonight…She had already finished analyzing half of the book's content and would be able to go through the other half in one hour's time. Numbers and words almost blurred together as she squinted her eyes on the pages, with fingers tracing line by line.

The gentle sounds of the clock ticking filled the silent room, alongside the crashing of the ocean outside. The guest room Maki was staying in had the best view in the whole house, as Hanayo said and undeniably, she'd to agree as well.

The walls of the room were a little golden, and the cream colored curtains draped on the Spanish style wood windows were almost blending with the walls; the furnishings were instead made from mangrove wood, with a pair of sliding glass doors connecting a teak board deck outside. Maki felt herself nodding in approval when Hanayo showed her the room. The double bed was obviously was very soft and when she tried turning on the lights, the flame maple wood floor looked like it was glowing.

It didn't look like a home…it was more like a resort. The other rooms also had the same theme.

When asked about it, however, Hanayo only smiled and said that this house was in possession of her relatives. Apparently the family had gone overseas for some private business and won't be back for quite a while. Hanayo also agreed to help take care of their daughter and in addition, she will be able to stay in this house and even invite her friends to come over during the summer holidays. The only conclusion Maki could make after hearing this was that her relatives were quite loaded, to say the least.

"…I shouldn't be thinking of these right now." Maki muttered. Putting down her pen, she slapped herself on the cheeks twice before focusing her attention on the paper solely in front of her.

A few minutes then passed. When her sight grew even more blurred, to the point of seeing the fronts jumbled together, Maki threw the papers down onto the table and reached for her red duffel bag that was just beside her leg. She grabbed her black-framed glasses that was encased in a leather case and pushed them to the bridge of her nose. The fronts grew clearer. Her sleepiness subsided.

"Alright."

Maki was about hook another reference book with her finger when she heard the sound of a baby crying.

Crying, actually, was too tepid a word. Hanayo's niece, a ten months old baby girl, was practically _screaming_ , her small lungs clearly getting a serious workout. And if Maki remembered correctly, the baby room was right next to her room, separated by just a thin wall.

The redhead couldn't help but cringe a bit in her seat, her heart nearly jumping out of her chest at the shrill wailing. She didn't even notice the wood grain door opening through the high-pitched howling.

"Maki-chan."

Rin stood in the doorway looking positively apologetic. She was still in her yellow hoodie and knee-length khaki pants from this morning.

"Sorry, Mei-chan's been really finicky without her parents around." Rin let out a nervous laugh, ruffling her carroty hair as she started to walk into the room. "But Kayo-chin's taking care of her right now, so it should be alright. Are you hungry, Maki-chan?"

Mei-chan, namely Meiko Koizumi and Hanayo's niece, was the baby currently brawling over their ears. Maki had only found out about her existence this morning when she entered the living room of this house with her luggage.

No words could describe her surprise – and shock – as she locked eyes with a chubby baby only in her diapers who sat in the middle of the room surrounded by numerous toys. For an instant Maki gravely wondered if she had gone in the wrong house. Despite spotting a glowing Hanayo with a pampered smile on her face behind the small brat.

"I'm fine." Maki replied. She spun around to look at Rin and adjusted her glasses. "Though, I do want to take a shower first before we eat, or go to the event you two were mentioning about."

"Ah, right, right." Grinning, Rin walked to the table she was working her reports on and glanced at the papers cluttered on top of it. A look of admiration and slight disbelief spread across her face at the mind-blogging sight. "But, I sure am impressed, Maki-chan. It's only the first week of summer vacation and you have already started to work on the reports nya!"

Maki sighed before standing up. "I don't like doing things at the last minute." She unzipped her suitcase that was resting on the guest bed and fumbled through its contents. She took out a small plastic pack containing her toothbrush and toothpaste, a folded towel, and then debated on what she should wear for the rest of the day.

The weather in this town was scorching hot when it is daytime, although it would be the complete opposite when nighttime falls. Moreover, Maki actually overhead about some event called the Bonfire being held tonight at the beach while walking on the narrow boardwalk. It sounded like a seasonal event highly anticipated by the local folks here. Maybe she should go for the casual look.

"By the way, I rarely see you wear glasses even when we are in college, Maki-chan!" Rin spoke up cheerily after a few moments of silence between them; she was now leaning nonchalantly against the edge of the table with her hands stuffed into pockets.

"Well, I do see better in these, undeniably." Maki mumbled, somehow absentmindedly as she continued to arrange her belongings in a neat pile. It was true; she had a preference to wear contact lenses over glasses, but the ones she usually wore were dried up and could not be used further.

She could always buy a new pair, but Maki remained busy throughout the few first days before coming here with the frequent attendance of social gatherings alongside her parents. So there wasn't much time to.

"I see…But they look good on you, Maki-chan! Rin is impressed!" And then there was that bright, feline grin again.

"Of course they do." Maki replied, without even a moment's of hesitation.

If there was one thing she had confidence in rather than her intellectual mind and grades, it'd be her appearance. She gathered all of her personal belongings in one arm before glancing at her wristwatch. It was 3.25pm.

It'd been ten minutes since Rin came in, and the baby was _still_ going full blast. "Well, run along, Rin. I think Hanayo might need some help by now." She gestured towards the hallway with her chin, where the noise was deafening.

Rin looked sorry for a moment, but immediately straightened and did a salute. "Aye-aye, madam!"

The orange-haired girl flashed another grin at Maki, who mouthed 'go' before starting down the hallway, humming to herself. A moment after Rin went into the pink and white baby room; she heard the door click shut.

When the crying quieted down a few minutes later, it was only then Maki could go into the bathroom to take her relaxing baths.

* * *

Nico Yazawa grunted as she juggled the plastic bags in her hands before jamming the key in the lock of her apartment. She had stopped by the grocery store just a few miles away from the café after completing her orders for the day and closing up. Since she knew food was lacking in her kitchen, these mornings' breakfast was pathetically sad and she wanted something richer than oatmeal again for dinner.

The Bonfire event tonight also didn't help much since orders for confection only kept piling up since about a week ago in preparations. Although her business did flourished…

"Maybe I should stop taking orders after the Bonfire is over and rest for a bit." Nico mumbled to herself.

The wood grain swung open and she walked inside, kicking it shut once she was through the entrance. Nico staggered towards the kitchen in the dimness and set the bags on the counter edge. Recipes and cook books were spread out on the counter messily and had remained that way for the past few weeks.

About dinner…She could always order something in from the boardwalk nearby, but that would've been a waste of money. Moreover, she wanted to cook something else after the whole morning of baking cakes and scones. Nico stumbled slightly through the darkness, still not having to memorize the room's layout, and switched on the lights.

Nevertheless, this town wasn't as convenient as what Tokyo could be. All the walking to the grocery store from the café and then back home had her work up quite a sweat. Nico was about to go to the bathroom until she felt something hairy brush against her leg.

Looking down, she saw her siblings' furry pet cat rubbing its orange fur against her leg. A small smile broke across Nico's lips when she crouched down and scratched the cat's chin. With its eyes closed in contentment, she could even feel the slight vibration from the cat's throat as it continued to purr.

"Alright, I have to go take a bath now. Will play with you later, Gozer." She gave the cat one last pat on its head before standing up and heading to the bathroom stall.

Gozer opened its eyes the moment her hands disappeared, meowing in protest as Nico continued to walk away in a hum. The black-haired staff didn't pay much attention to the feline cat though. This cat had been spoiled rotten by her three siblings, who constantly showered the orange Tabby with endless attention and love before they left for a trip with their mother.

In all honesty, she was supposed to go with them too, but…

"There was Gozer, mom's café and the annual Bonfire which everyone wanted to make orders for."

Tugging off her ribbons, Nico ran her fingers through her hair in attempt of soothing them. Her heart then ached slightly at the thought of her family now having fun at the southern islands without her.

Were her siblings behaving well? Were Cocoa and Cotaro listening to their mother? Nico hoped her mother would remember to take her medicine even without her being there to remind her.

Maybe she should give them a call later?

"…No, I would probably just ruin their fun by calling anyway." The black-haired girl was mumbling to herself as she peeled her clothes from her sweaty body. She then stepped into the bathroom stall and turned on the knob. Heat steam began to rise while hot water rinsed through her petite body, prompting Nico to heave a satisfied sigh.

The relaxing water eased off her muscle aches and pains from working the whole morning, as she scrubbed off all the dirt from the body with soap.

Their father left them a long time ago and all the burdens had fallen onto their mother's shoulders. While the single mother devoted herself into working for her family's sake and had mostly left the care taking of the three siblings to her, Nico never once whined or complained.

She knew of the sacrifices and trouble their mother had to make and go through for them. That's why Nico loved and respected her mother, even now. Her three siblings also needed emotional support and parental love for being so young. She was used to being alone. She was the eldest daughter. That's why she was used to this.

She had to.

The water blurred her sight with droplets when Nico finished rinsed her hair thoroughly. She reached for the shampoo and squeezed its content into her palm, rubbing the smooth substance against her two hands.

It was fine, after all.

Nico let out a low 'hmph' as she ran a hand through her jet black hair and lathered some shampoo on it. A strawberry fragrance then filled the bathroom stall, followed by her soft whisper.

"I have already spent most of my life being alone."

And she will continue to.

* * *

The feather soft bed and fluffy white duvet of the guest bed made it almost impossible to get up once you throw yourself on it. Maki had been enjoying her nap after a refreshing bath, and so it was to be expected that she was more than annoyed at having her pleasant slumber disturbed at the sound of the bedroom door slamming open unceremoniously. This was made worse when it was followed immediately by an energetic voice crying excitedly, "Maki-chan~ We are going out to eat nyaa~!"

Grumbling, Maki turned over, having to temporarily forget that she was outside of home, and pulled the covers over her head. Though this somewhat helped in muffling the noisy cries of Rin, it did nothing to stop her approach.

"You are still asleep? Wakey-wakey, Maki-chan! It's time for dinner!"

To Maki's further irritation, the duvets above her were flung open, and she could feel a vein emerge from somewhere of her forehead in annoyance. A soft sigh came from the redhead as she opened her eyes and realized she was in a completely unfamiliar room. That's right. She was staying over at Hanayo's for the summer holidays. Slowly, Maki rose into a sitting position and rubbed her eyes.

"What time is it…?" She groaned, her mind still clouded from sleep. Maki stifled a yawn that was threatening to come and glanced around in search of a clock.

"It's nearly five in the evening. But wow, Maki-chan, you sure slept like a log! I tried calling you, like, five times and you still won't wake up!" The enthusiasm behind Rin's voice was kind of annoying right after Maki had just woken up. She was already in a fresh change of clothes and just looked raring to go, a complete opposite to Maki's now sluggish and dull appearance.

"Shut it." The redhead snapped sleepily. She then tried to untangle herself from the warm cocoon of white sheets that were twisted around her limbs, probably because she had been thrashing in her sleep. It was quiet for a few moments, except for the occasional rustling of sheets.

"…And, Maki-chan?" Rin's voice was slow, admiring, and dusted with the tiniest hint of embarrassment.

"What?"

"That's quite a sexy view, even for Rin." When Maki looked up, she saw a smirk forming on her friend's lopsided lips. Rin was staring at her with a grin akin to a perverted old man's.

Maki blinked. What on earth was this girl talking about? Slowly, she glanced down at herself and gaped in shock. Out of habit, and due to the unbearably hot weather in summer, she had gone to bed in nothing more than a black camisole and very, _very_ short pants. Not counting the fact that one thin strap had taken the liberty of slipping off her shoulder. Maki's face immediately burst into a huge hue of red.

"Wow, Rin has thought of it before, but the curves of your chest is really pretty, Maki-chan." The awe in her voice was apparent while Rin settled her gaze just a few inches below Maki's face.

The redhead's shock and terror doubled; she clutched onto the white duvets on the bed and started to tremble.

"Ah, that's right." Rin then continued onwards as if she remembered something else, completely unaware of Maki's fingers crawling to the pillow she'd been sleeping on, "The Bonfire won't start until 7pm, so we better go grab a snack or two before heading towards the event – "

The rest of her sentence remained unspoken when a pillow was flung onto Rin's face. The orange-haired girl's surprised grunt was muffled by the pillow as she took a step back at the force poured into it.

"…out…"

* * *

Downstairs, Hanayo was waiting for her two friends, her own phone pressed against her ear. Her adorable niece, Meiko, was instead strapped into her stroller, curiously eyeing her caretaker with two berry-colored orbs as the brunette continued to pace across the living room mat.

"Yes, and thank you for the cakes. They are as delicious as always." She smiled, pausing slightly when the other person on the line huffed and replied. "Oh, and we are going to the event tonight, but there's also another friend we invited…You met her already?"

The surprise in Hanayo's voice seemed to provoke the small baby's curiosity even further, as she started to squirm uncomfortably in her navy blue stroller. The brunette, having to notice this even though her own eyes were full of shock and slight confusion, turned quickly to attend to the baby. With the phone still clamped to her ear, Hanayo reached her unoccupied hand to the young toddler and grasped her chubby, milky-smooth fingers. Satisfied by the gesture, Meiko stopped squirming and giggled.

The adult herself could not help but smile along. Although Meiko was sometimes incredibly needy and finicky, Hanayo still loved her little niece to bits. She continued to play with the baby's fingers, speaking, "No, Maki-chan hasn't mention anything even after she arrived…That's alright? Well, if you say so-"

" _GET OUT!_ "

Hanayo almost dropped the phone in her hand at the thunderous shriek, which had all but blown the roof of the house. In shock, she glanced towards the stairs and bewilderedly wondered what was going on. Was that…Maki-chan's voice?

While she continued to remain both speechless and baffled, the person on the other line spoke up again, sounding alarmed. "Ah, no, no, it's nothing." Although saying that was more of a way to reassure herself rather than the person on the end of the line; Hanayo couldn't help but to be a bit concerned too. Maybe she should go check up on them after ending this phone call.

"Anyway, we are now preparing to go out and eat first, so let's meet up again later." The voice at the end of the line was not still convinced -obviously bothered by the scream- but Hanayo brushed it off meekly. "Everything's fine; you worry too much. Yes, good-bye and see you later, Nico-chan."

Meiko was staring at her when Hanayo closed her phone, innocent berry eyes radiating an air of confusion and puzzlement. She smiled at her, assumingly, and patted the baby on her head before turning to look at the stairs again. To her surprise, a giggling carrot-haired girl came bounding down the stairs afterwards, though her head sprouting a large stinging red bump.

"Is everything alright, Rin-chan?" Hanayo asked curiously. She looked at the red bump on Rin's head with a face of concern.

"Yup!" The girl sang, unfazed the slightest by her injury. Rin grinned again when Meiko moved in her stroller, squirming and reaching out for the orange-haired girl with chubby fingers. "It's just Maki is not so good with waking up after afternoon naps, after all!" She unstrapped the baby from the stroller and held her, muzzling Meiko's smooth baby cheeks affectionately, "Right, Mei-chan?"

Said baby laughed merrily as Rin continued to hold and nuzzle her, although not in the response of her question. Hanayo sighed but let out a broad smile at the scene in front of her. Caring for Meiko became especially easier when Rin came around; whether because it was of her lively personality or those goofy faces she would make at the baby whenever she was throwing a crying fit. In any costs, the brunette was grateful for having such a great best friend. She always had.

"Oh, and Maki-chan is still preparing, so we still have to wait for a bit longer nya."

Hanayo quietly nodded, debating whether to ask what was the strange leer on Rin's lips was about. Although her sixth sense warned her otherwise; the brunette kept her mouth shut and instead wondered what they should go out for a quick snack later.

* * *

A loud persistent knocking came from the door and Nico glared sorrowfully at it. She had been sitting comfortably on the couch, with phone in one hand, having to just finish a phone call with her junior and was about to try relax a bit when the annoying knocking sounded.

Nico wasn't expecting anyone today and she still had a few hours before she needed to leave and go back to the café. Narrowing her eyes pensively, she contemplated on whether to answer the door or not. Things had been hectic lately with all the baking orders and she had no interest in entertaining any sudden visitors for whatever reasons they came with when she finally was given the chance to rest. Deciding to ignore the visitors outside, she closed her eyes and leaned back onto the soft leather. They would get the clue that no one was in and leave soon, anyways.

However, when the knocking continued, it became evident that whoever outside wasn't going away in anytime soon. With an annoyed grumble, she pushed herself up from the couch and shooed Gozer from blocking her way to the door.

Nico flung the door open, ready to strangle the person if it was a salesman or someone trying to take a survey. Those pointless things irritated her to no end.

"Hello, Nico-chi~ Ready for the Bonfire tonight?"

Her eyes narrowed at the two women standing before her. Nico resisted her urge to slam the door in their face like how she did this morning and only let out a low sigh. How could she do that? Looking up again, she saw two familiar faces smiling at her and recomposed herself. Well, it wasn't like she _was_ expecting them to come by…but still, to think that they actually came...

"Come in," She said dryly and stepped aside from the entrance.

* * *

 _To be continued..._


End file.
